The Art of the Public Grovel: Sexual Sin and Public Confession in America Book

Honorable Mention for the 2008 PROSE Award in Media and Cultural Studies, Association of American Publishers

"[A] very entertaining book. Reading this book is like putting the noses of these famous men . . . in the mud all over again. Bauer's book, however, is more than a seminar in how to cringe with dignity. It is a lesson in how religious rituals, no matter how old they are, never die. Bauer is a skilled analyst of political rhetoric. She is also a terrific writer."--Stephen H. Webb, Christianity Today

"[E]legant in its simplicity and surprisingly persuasive."--Susan Bordo, Chronicle Review

"[A]n engaging, sophisticated and wholly persuasive account of how some public figures get away with transgressions and some do not. And the thread linking all of them is the practice of religion. [Bauer's] accompanying texts of successful and failed confessions complete an elegant study, also useful for any aspiring public figure."--Jurek Martin, Financial Times

"Why do some public figures get away with sexual transgressions while others do not? This is the central question posed in Bauer's important and informative book. . . . [A] fascinating book that is at once entertaining and thought-provoking. As a seminar in how to cringe with dignity, this book should be required reading for all public figures--and those who aspire to be."--Choice

"[T]his exhaustively researched book offers a fascinating trip through more than a century of America's top sex scandals."--Karen Holt, Barnes & Noble Review

"As a bonus, Bauer append the texts of statements by six confessors. Connoisseurs of venial sin will want to compare and contrast."--James Boylan, Columbia Journalism Review

"Bauer's gallery of scoundrels is . . . worth a lingering visit. And the book includes as an appendix a handy collection of the confessions and apologies of Kennedy, Carter, Bakker, Swaggart, Clinton, and Law. For this alone, I intend to keep my copy on the shelf beside my hardbound edition of The Confidence Man."--Peter W. Wood, American Conservative

"People interested in the reasons why confession is different than apology, and how to tell the difference the next time a Senator is caught in a men's room with a 'wide stance' will enjoy this humorous and fascinating book. Wannabe politicians and public figures should keep a copy for reference on hand for the almost inevitable slip up."--Sacramento Book Review

"Wise Bauer's analysis and background make for lively reading. As readers go along with her, they learn something about both rhetoric and democracy itself. . . . Besides its study of rhetoric and cultural trends, Wise Bauer's book also supplies a rather hilarious review of past scandals and shenanigans. Members of First Secular Humanist will enjoy these."--Tom McBride, Common Review